Tools of the Defense

There are tools for defense at the play of cards, including Duplicate Bridge.

Most Tools Are Ancient. Surprisingly, many have been known and refined for centuries - much longer than bridge has existed as a game. They work well, but they must be learned and applied constantly.

Because they are less dramatic than bidding or declarer play, they are often not used well by defenders, especially those who are looking to get on with the next hand so they can bid and declare. This is a real attitude problem if you want to play bridge well. Defense is bridge; Bridge is Defense.

Generally, tools fall into these categories. Each is explained in some detail elsewhere.

Visualization is mentally seeing all the cards in all four hands and determining the declarer's best line of play and your best line of defense.

Planning the Defense is your deliberate effort to defeat a contract or hold declarer to the minimum number of tricks. This is the essence of Duplicate -- without a Defensive Plan, it's just tossing in cards.

Counting refers to everything you can count: HCP's, cards, tricks, distributions, matchpoints.

Signals are the only legitimate communication with your partner while defending: if you don't use them - and properly - you've cut off your own communications and your only ally -- and declarer will win going away.

Leads are one of the most potent tools for the defense, as you get to lead first. That starts the defensive campaign, and is the single act most likely to defeat a close contract.